(CNN) - A liberal group in Kentucky is under fire from conservatives for a tweet it posted nearly two weeks ago which alludes to the race of Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife.

"This woman has the ear of @McConnellPress - she's his #wife," the February 14 tweet from Progress Kentucky reads, referencing the Kentucky Republican by his official twitter account. "May explain why your job moved to #China!"Follow @politicalticker

McConnell's wife is former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, the first female Asian-American to hold a Cabinet post.

The five-term senator is up for re-election in 2014. His campaign manager, Jesse Benton, blasted the group, which has been active on Twitter but has a blank website and has filed no Federal Election Commission reports since its founding document in mid-December.

"It is unconscionable that anyone would use blatant race-baiting for political gain," Benton said in a statement. "Progress Kentucky should be ashamed of themselves. We hope all Americans can agree that these disgusting tactics have no place in American politics as we try to bring people together to solve our difficult problems."

Progress Kentucky fired back that they had not engaged in race-baiting.

"Progress Kentucky strongly denies that the organization has engaged in any such thing," Shawn Reilly, executive director of Progress Kentucky, said in a statement. "Benton's statements are an attempt to divert attention from the fact that Mitch McConnell has engaged in the selling of the American middle class overseas for decades."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, the group committed to electing Republicans to Congress, fired off against the group as well.

"This is disgusting and must be condemned immediately by top Democrats across the board, including Jim Messina, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DSCC Chairman Bennet, and DCCC Chairman Steve Israel – not to mention Senator Schumer and Senator Reid," the statement from Brad Dayspring, the group's strategist, read.

Actress Ashley Judd has said she is considering running on the Democratic ticket for the seat, and said in her own tweet on Tuesday: "Whatever the intention, whatever the venue, whomever the person, attacks or comments on anyone's ethnicity are wrong & patently unacceptable."

The tweet remained on the group's page on Wednesday afternoon. When asked if the group planned to take down the post, Progress Kentucky's treasurer said he had no comment.

soundoff(34 Responses)

Wake up People!

First of all what does Ashley Judd have to do with this? She isn't in politics and she hasn't even said she is running.

The GOP is doing their usual projecting. Let me get this straight. So it's ok for them to demonize our President, question his birthplace, call him Kenyan and Muslim, marxist, socialist, Photoshop photos of him depicted as a witch doctor but wrong to point out that Mitch the itchbay McConnell has a Chinese wife??

The hypocrisy running throughout this party is appalling.

February 26, 2013 05:57 pm at 5:57 pm |

Sniffit

Disgusting. The KY Dem party should drum these turds out of business.

And no, I refuse to stoop to the knee-jerk level of the Teatrolls and assume this was "false flag" and set up by the GOP/Teatrolls to make Dems look bad. Whether it was or wasn't doesn't matter. It just needs to stop, we know who did and therefore we know who to ridicule.

February 26, 2013 06:00 pm at 6:00 pm |

Sniffit

BTW, nice job blatantly trying to associate Judd with them, CNN. Change the picture or you're just playing games.

February 26, 2013 06:01 pm at 6:01 pm |

Lisa P.

"It is unconscionable that anyone would use blatant race-baiting for political gain," Benton said in a statement.
----------------------------–

Gander, time for some goose-sauce. Or is race-baiting only a problem when it's not your side doing it?

February 26, 2013 06:23 pm at 6:23 pm |

Republican Retards

Awwww, turnabout is fair play Mitch. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

February 26, 2013 06:24 pm at 6:24 pm |

Ken

Go, Ashley! Give Mitch his walking papers.

February 26, 2013 06:29 pm at 6:29 pm |

Tracy

And liberals want to tell us they are the party of "understanding", "tolerance" and not racist. Yeah, right.

February 26, 2013 06:50 pm at 6:50 pm |

AmericanSam

Needless to say, it's pretty low. Not that I don't think McConnell has been a weasel. But this is from the folks who are supposed to be the "good guys."

February 26, 2013 07:00 pm at 7:00 pm |

2012liberal

Yea whats wrong with you. Only conservatives r suppose 2 do that! But the problem w gop they cry wolf and then when we come out with real facts proving their acts moved jobs overseas and wasnt about race at all. It was true job movements! Whatever, get a job. Lol pun

February 26, 2013 07:14 pm at 7:14 pm |

2012liberal

Not about race it's about fact. Instead say india instead of china would b same differance. Try 2 make something out of nothing. Just happens 2 b she's part asian. Big woop. Grow up!

February 26, 2013 07:19 pm at 7:19 pm |

RINO Bill

This is tacky, even by GOP standards.

February 26, 2013 07:25 pm at 7:25 pm |

Randy, San Francisco

Doesn't matter which side it is coming from, liberal or conservative, personal racist attacks have no place in the poltical dialogue. Sen McConnell and his family deserves an apology from the people responsible for despicable ad.

February 26, 2013 07:27 pm at 7:27 pm |

Larry L

Mitch McConnell filibustered his own proposal! That's all that needs to be said about that worthless bag of political protoplasm. He is a professional obstructionist and next to Lindsey Graham, the biggest weasel in the Senate.

February 26, 2013 07:43 pm at 7:43 pm |

Thomas

McConnell's wife is former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao.

President-elect George W. Bush’s choice to head the Labor Department, Elaine Chao, and her father have extensive personal ties to communist China’s President Jiang Zemin

Chao’s father resides in New York City and, years ago, founded a ship brokerage and agency business, Foremost Maritime Corp. — a lucrative shipping firm that ships goods from the U.S. to China and much of Asia.

February 26, 2013 07:47 pm at 7:47 pm |

ED FL

WOW wonder how her parents felt after the choice she made for a husband.

February 26, 2013 07:52 pm at 7:52 pm |

Pop Gun

It is unconscionable that anyone would use blatant race-baiting for political gain," Benton said .........

Its ok when the Republicans used it against Obama.
You get what you give.
Funny how when the Dems ripped a page out of the Republican
handbook, the Repubs got all pissy about it.
Ignorant children.

February 26, 2013 08:11 pm at 8:11 pm |

An Observer

McConnell looks like he is sucking a pickle or something shaped like a pickle!

February 26, 2013 08:13 pm at 8:13 pm |

TM

The Grand Old Tea Party complaining about "race baiting"? Seriously?! What do they call their own political advertising since....forever? Don't get me wrong, I'm not condoning what was tweeted, but Republicans lost moral high ground on this issue a loooong time ago.

February 26, 2013 08:27 pm at 8:27 pm |

charles

I find it fascinating that a man who is against hate and discrimination is discriminating against almost half of the people in our country. John Kerry said today that it's an American right to 'be stupid'. It's also an American right to not only fight for something but to also be against it.... but I guess it only matters who is saying it.

February 26, 2013 08:58 pm at 8:58 pm |

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ

If it was made clear about policies that she enacted, then there might be some room for it. Without further documentation to back it up, it sounds awful and bigoted.

February 26, 2013 08:59 pm at 8:59 pm |

Pete

McConnell the bulldog faced republican bought his last election people and as much as he spent to be reelected he just squeeked by didn't he..He's worried that his replacement can not only match him dollar for dollar but her energy and appeal will sink his chances of another term..Remember republican posters because of your Citizens United bill Ms.Judd will have donors sending money from all over the world and remember her husband Dario Franchetti,a formula grandprix race driver is from France and she's popular as well there..So say goodbye hypocrites because your biggest racist in politics in McConnell will be leaving after midterms and don't say we haven't happily warned you about his end because we have !!

February 26, 2013 09:08 pm at 9:08 pm |

BlueDogMS

How can anything a liberal says possibly be offensive?

February 26, 2013 10:00 pm at 10:00 pm |

malclave

So "progressives" reveal themselves to be racists, which is okay as long as you target conservatives.

THe REAL news here is that a left-wing blog like CNN even mentioned it.

February 26, 2013 10:01 pm at 10:01 pm |

Ron

I agree with Ashley Judd. I don't care where racism comes from, "liberal" or "conservative," it is reprehensible. I also find it almost amusing that the Republicans are so offended by this when so many Republicans and Tea Partiers have used racism ad nauseam in subtle and overt ways in the past years–and when it's done, it's hard to find a Republican who will admit it or challenge it.

February 26, 2013 10:15 pm at 10:15 pm |

cbr

Oh dear. These liberals should apologize but only after SEnator McConnell apologizes to the President and First Lady. He certainly treats then like second class citizens and refuses to work with the President. Remember Senator McConnell made the statement that he would not do anything that would help the President to get re-elected. He spent four years doing nothing and refusing to work with the President.